Pages

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

FFG has given us the first look at the new card for the new Zombie Suicide Squad.

Now I know the image is small, but here’s what I can confirm: they’re Move 1, Armor 3. They’re armed with Panzerfaust 100s with only five rounds, Magnetic Mines also only five of them, and Knife and Grenade (looks standard). They have the Damage Resilient Skill and Blutkreuz Zombie Skill.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

I know it’s not Tannhauser related and this is Tuesday, but this is what I’m doing at the moment so I thought I’d share.

Note: it’s not attached to the base yet, as I may paint it a little more, but also this tree is free standing without any base so it is purely optional. The wider you make the root base the more stable it will be.

I think it looks pretty good for my first one, and this thing is cheap too!

It’s a toilet paper roll, some TP, some watered down PVA, some hot glue, and some moss (which I got in a bag for like $5 USD at A.C. More.) I painted the trunk with flat brown spray paint from the Rustoleum Camo line.

You can follow these directions from The DM’s Craft to learn how to build the trunk. But you may want to scale it back a little, I trimmed about a half inch off the TP roll before starting, and I kept my roots a little small (to fit with in the Dust base size, but if you’re not going to use a base, it’s not an issue).

After you get the trunk built, I used some extra “roots” to make braches and then layered on the moss to build out the canopy. Next time I’ll make a couple more branches to help make the tree top a little fuller.

Today we have a new Tannhauser scenario for our TH fans: Operation: Break the Seals. This scenario is extremely focused on a single character, which one team will be trying to protect, and help. While the other team will trying to impede the other team and hopefully kill this central figure.

If you want to know more you’ll have to click the image below and check out the PDF.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Born and raised in the Bayou, Django is a no nonsense kind’a guy. He big and as strong as they come, and not to shabby in the brains department either. Before the end of days came he made his living playing cards on the river boats in and around New Orleans.

These days though he doesn’t play cards much…

Design notes: This guy is just a standard tough guy with some added carrying capacity in the form of the Hoard skill, nothing special, but still useful.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Today for FTE’s Classics we bring you our top five classic games in the war/combat genera.

#5: Axis & Allies

While A&A remains one of my personal favorite games, it falls to number five. Because it’s evolved to a point where the actual classic version pales in comparison to the modern expansive and deep rules sets we have today. Which is not a bad thing mind you, but this is one of those rare classic games where my recommendation is not to go hunting for the original, but to simply head to your Wal*Mart and pick up a brand new copy of the latest edition.

#4 Skirmish

Coming in at number four is Skirmish, one of Milton Bradley's American Heritage series of excellent little was and combat sims of the ‘70s. Skirmish is set during the American Revolution, and gives players a unique experience. Where many of todays games strive to achieve balance Skirmish sets out from the start to set up an unbalanced situation, what today is called “Asymmetric Gameplay.”

This asymmetric situation means not only does each player have a different set of goals and a different set of forces with which to accomplish those goals. But they also have a completely different set of first order strategies. While both players have access to all the same mechanics, each is favored by a different one. The British player is best served by forcing the Americans into large battles where the out come is determined by dice rolls favoring the almost always larger British Army. The Americans on the other hand are best served by smaller skirmishes where the outcome is determined by a card draw.

#3 Panzer Leader

Panzer leader is one of those great classic Avalon Hill “squares on a map” games that is well balanced and has massive amounts of depth, and strategic options. But all that depth comes with an equal amount of complexity. If your looking for a challenging classic game with an amazing level of detail and depth, then Panzer Leader is only a thrift store away. While this game dates from 1974 you can still find it for reasonable prices on Ebay, and at your local Goodwill.

#2 Tactics II

Everything you need to know about the basics of Tactics II is in our video from a few weeks back. But to add to that, what makes Tactics II such a great game is it’s simplicity. Where Panzer Leader excels in complexity, Tactics II specializes in ease of play and accessibility.

#1 Risk

Now I know a lot of you hard core war gamers are saying, “what Risk, really!” But yes Risk. Like Tactics II Risk is a great game to introduce new players to the world of world conquest, but unlike Tactics II, Risk has been in continuous production since 1959. You can go to almost any store that sells toys, and pick up a copy today.

And while Risk has evolved like Axis & Allies, Risk has continued to included the original classic rules in every version. Even the themed editions like Star Wars, or Transformers Risk still include all the components and rules to play the original classic edition. And in the end it’s that simple but yet deep original gameplay that makes Risk a classic that people have been playing for over 50 years.

Well there you go our Top Five Classic games, hope you enjoyed reading, now get out there and conquer the world…

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

As you can see from this picture, we’ll have lots of new videos over the coming weeks.

One thing I'd like to mention is the Quonset Huts have doors that open and click close, that’s a feature I wish had been included in the 3D structures. You’ll see more of that in our terrain video in a few weeks.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

I have a bit of a problem, a sort of Paradox. I want to help Tannhauser become as popular as the other games we cover, but I can’t afford to devote masses of time and energy to something as unpopular as Tannhauser.

An example of the issue is our recent posts: the Dust Tactics Horten review took about an hour of work and has well over 500 views in about a week. While the Tannhauser post Operation: Contagion, which took hours and hours to develop, received about 15.

Of course it doesn’t help that the game is on a “hiatus” and development is not currently continuing. And while I hold out hope for its eventual triumphant return, I know that market pressures and profit margins are not going to be conducive to its rebirth, without some major change in the current gaming environment.

So what do I do?

Well, right now I don’t know.

Hopefully, well be able to build up some content to get us through the next few weeks to see if things improve.

To be honest I doubt Tannhauser will ever return to development, but I can at least hope that we’ll at see some of TH’s mechanics (like the amazing Pathfinding System) will be reused in a new game, in a new universe. I wouldn’t even mind if it was the Dust Universe, but we all know that that will never happen.

Monday, February 18, 2013

This is just a standard Luther with it’s gun replaced with one of Ludwig’s massive 88mm cannons. This is great if you’re a fan of Luther’s Charge and Self Repair abilities as well as it’s claw’s close range effectiveness. But not so much a fan of it’s limited ability to take out enemy armor at long range.

(Click to enlarge)

Basic differences between this and Luther: The point value is slightly increased due to the increase in anti-armor fire power, but it’s still not as powerful as Ludwig so the cost is a little lower. The biggest change is of course the new main gun which is approximately half the power of Ludwig’s dual guns.

After a little testing I really like this unit for fights against the older Allied armies without a lot of armor 3 infantry or any aircraft.

Friday, February 15, 2013

Last of an ancient clan Rukia was raised by her paternal grandfather a master sword-smith, whose skill had been passed down for generations. When the first signs of the plague began, he began to forge a sword. Using mystical sutras, and unwritten knowledge he forged a sword like none that had existed for millennia. Feeding upon dammed souls the sword grows sharper with each undead horror it slays…

But Rukia doesn’t believe in such mumbo-jumbo, she just knows it’s a good sword and never runs out of ammo like a gun. Although, “it doesn’t ever seem to need sharpening? Nah – that’s a silly idea…”

Optional Equipment Cards

If you like here is Rukia’s Katana, another special item that grows in power with its user. Only Rukia may use this item. Whenever she gains a color level, discard the current weapon card and replace it with the one of the new color.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

This image doesn’t give us a lot of info but it does confirm that these are the first Armor Class 2 vehicles, also it’s Health 3. If you look really close it looks like it will cost _7 points, I’d assume the missing number is a 2, so 27 points.

Here is Red Fury, you can see some of the weapon lines and again it’s class 2 health 3, and only 29 points.

From the folks that bring you all those awesome gaming accessories and the hit game based on a TV franchise Spartacus. They bring you Firefly!

From their description:

Firefly, the popular television series created by Joss Whedon, comes to life in a new boardgame from Gale Force Nine and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products. Compelling characters, great storytelling and an evocative universe has made Firefly a fan-favorite for the past ten years. Now fans of the television show and board games can chart their own course with Firefly: The Game, arriving on store shelves Fall 2013.

In Firefly: The Game, players captain their own Firefly-class transport ship, traveling the ‘Verse with a handpicked crew of fighters, mechanics and other travelers. As a captain desperate for work, players are compelled to take on any job -- so long as it pays. Double-dealing employers, heavy-handed Alliance patrols and marauding Reavers are all in a day’s work for a ship’s captain at the edge of the ‘Verse. Firefly: The Game is a high-end thematic tabletop boardgame from Gale Force Nine (GF9). It will be the first in a series of tabletop hobby boardgames and miniatures games from GF9 set in the Firefly Universe.

“Building on the success of Spartacus: A Game of Blood and Treachery, we're thrilled to be making a game that evokes the heart and themes of Firefly - the best ‘gorram’ show in the 'Verse.” said John Kovaleski, CEO of Gale Force Nine, “With challenging game play, fantastic production values and compelling narratives, you and your fellow captains will want to head out into the big black again and again".

“We’re pleased to be working with Gale Force Nine to bring a new board game to the devoted fans of Firefly.Firefly: The Game is innovative and remains true to the spirit of the popular series” stated Jeffrey Godsick, President of Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products.

For those of you wondering: yes you will be able to captain the Serenity itself (the orange ship, and the card in the lower right), but there’s only one real Serenity the other three ships have different names.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Today we have a new scenario for our Tannhauser fans to try out. It incorporates a couple of ne mechanics I’ve been working on. However, it’s a little unpolished so if you have any questions or suggestions please leave a comment.

A few of the new things I’m trying in this scenario include, two phases, where each phase has a different goal within the overall storyline. The other thing is the disease spread idea. Well hope you enjoy.

Here is an extra print and play token sheet on white to save you ink. Click for the full size image.

First the Toxic City Mall. This expansion will introduce mall tiles combining building and street zones for a different perspective on lines of sight. There will be also four new survivors (including their Zombivor versions) with new skills, and the six Zombivor versions of the 2012 core game heroes.

The Toxic City Mall will also include new equipment cards (such as assault rifles, laser pointers or flamethrower) and new game modes: Toxic City Mall will introduce barricade rules, giant-sized rubble tokens to change your boards and Zombivor rules. Players will be able to lead these undead heroes against the zombie hordes, with totally new mechanics. Then there’s the Ultrared Mode, allowing players to gain new Skills after reaching the Red Danger Level, and super Ultrared weapons usable only by Red Level survivors.

Now let’s look at Zombicide Season Two: Prison Outbreak. Season 2: Prison Outbreak takes the players to an indoor environment with vicious close-ranged fights, Prison Outbreak contains all the needed material for a new player to enter the Zombicide universe, and lots of content, almost all new, for an existing Zombicide player to expand his game experience. In fact, Prison Outbreak holds even more material than the core game published in 2012 (now nicknamed Season 1)!

Please note Toxic City Mall is an expansion for both Season 1 and Season 2.

The Prison Outbreak will feature berserker zombies. They’re really tied to each other. Prison tiles display tortuous alleys, small rooms and doors everywhere, filled with berserker zombies immune to ranged weapons. You have to think fast, foresee the improbable and jump into melee at every turn. This is like a modern dungeon where levers are replaced with switches to open or lock doors, use security rooms and reach secret areas.

Prison Outbreak also contains six new survivors with their Zombivor aspects. These survivors are really designed to act as a team, as their skills really complement each other. They’re precious assets to any Zombicide team.

Missions featured in the rulebook form a campaign on their own, as survivors battle to turn a zombie-filled prison into a reliable shelter. Many challenges await them, but they have new tools of the trade: riot shields, automatic shotguns, concrete saws and many more toys. There’s even an alternate ending.

The “Seasons” concept was inspired by TV shows. Zombicide’s atmosphere is inspired by many things we like and we think of it as an expanding universe. We defined zombies’ true origin, stories and destinies for many survivors, even the way the Zombicide world will evolve in the near and distant future. We won’t spoil these stories right now, as we want to share them with you on the long time.

Lastly today it was officially announced that the Zombie Dogz are their own separate mini expanson. In fact their number 5 in a series as indicated on the box. (Set #1 is the Walk of the Dead mini expansion coming in March.)

For today’s Friday Zombicide post we continue our custom survivor series with the Wilderness Scout Johnny, she has what I think is a unique skill set. Again, like or last survivor he’s based on one of FFG’s Pyramid of Horus Painted Minis.

Johnny is the only child of a former Marine, who as a single father really wished he’d had a boy to follow in his footsteps, but instead he got Johnny. She was always a bit of a tom-boy, what can you expect being raised by a lone Marine D.I. But when she asked to join the boys only Wilderness Scouts saying, “I want to shoot, not sell cookies!” Her dad was perplexed, but decided he’d help. He never could say no to her. He cut her hair dressed up in boys cloths and she joined the scouts at age 10.

A few years later the military began to allow women in combat, so too the scouts began to allow girls. She was able with the help of her scout leader, who’d long ago discovered her secret, become the first girl Master Scout. Then the end came… Now she uses her skills to stay alive, she was half a country from her father when the world stopped, and she’s been trying to find her way back to him ever since… she doesn't know if he’s alive or not.

Johnny has an optional equipment set, because Wilderness Scouts are always prepared she always keep these items with her. Place these items in her reserve slots. Only she may begin the game with this items, she may trade them to others, move then in to her hands, or she may discard them during her turn. If she begins the game with the following equipment, she may only be given a “Pan” as her starting weapon.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

The folks at Guillotine Games have posted some images that give us some ideas of what may be coming in the Zombicide expansion. They’ve been posting a spoiler a day on their Facebook page. Who knows how long this will last but we’ll do our best to keep up with them.

This post is starting to become very long, from now on the older posts will be behind the read more. Only the todays spoiler will be up front, of course if you get to this page by direct link you’ll never notice. Also now the latest spoiler will be at the top with the oldest last. Also some of the image from the TGN story have been added to the end.

Feb. 07, 2013

Here is the latest from GG some more pages from the rulebook, looking at “Resurrection Mode” and the Mall and Parking structures tiles (not a prison). Looking at the example on resurrection, you can also see Hollow Point Bullets are a new item card.

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

I’m still really in the dumps, I had planed to post a new Tannhauser Scenario today but I didn’t get any work done on it except some of the fiction. So here’s a preview.

Operation: Contagion

The year is 1951, and the recent discovery of the DNA molecule has been a great boon to the major powers of the Great War. With wartime scientific spending at astronomical levels it hasn’t taken the great powers long to begin to develop customized biological weapons, the most frightening of which is the Reich’s “Zeitgeist.”

Excerpt from a Union intelligence report on Zeitgeist

Zeitgeist is a bacteria designed to invade the human body and within 30 hours fully replace the body’s own mitochondria, the power house of the cell. By manipulating the bacteria’s telomeres the Reich’s scientists we’re able to create a bacteria with a “programmable” expiration date. After a set amount of time (which can be two weeks to yeas) the bacteria simultaneously die, taking the cells they had invaded with them. The infected are dead themselves within minutes. Currently there is no way to detect the infection as infected subjects are asymptomatic until death.

24 hours ago we dispatched Major MacNeal and his team…

But something’s gone wrong at the Reich facility, we’ve lost contact with the team…

Monday, February 4, 2013

I’m still pretty sick, so I haven’t been able to do any work this weekend. So till I’m better it will be filler content around here till then. Now other then convalescing, I’ve been playing around with some AT-43 and Dust Tactics models. I came up with this one, it looks pretty sci-fi hence the name “Buck Rodgers.”

The MCW M2-X1 was nicknamed Buck Rodgers by it test operators due to it overall science fiction appearance, and strangle shaped turret. The base sergeant could often be heard grumbling, “walking tanks we’re bad enough now they build this monster.” The Buck Rodgers is now seeing field testing in the North American zone of conflict, things look promising, but as of this moment the thing is just too expensive to build in large numbers.

So here’s the deal, this thing is built from a Dust Tactics Mickey ARV hull, an AT-43 Fire Crawler Turret, an AT-43 Defender Snake missile launcher, and an AT-43 Hussar missile launcher. None of the parts have been modified and are only dry fitted (no glue). The Fire Crawler’s turret had a lot of glue holding it on, so it took a lot to remove, but that was the only difficulty. If I decide to keep this configuration around I’ll be painting it in a more earthly color scheme.

Here is a sample unit card idea, nothing on this is final, but my main goal was to balance the power of the weapons with the fact that their limited use.

If I’m lucky I’ll be over this flu, cold, whatever it is by the end of the week. Then I’ll get to do some recording.

Friday, February 1, 2013

For today’s Friday Zombicide post we continue our custom survivor series with the ranged combat powerhouse of a man The Boer. Again, like or last survivor he’s based on one of FFG’s Pyramid of Horus Painted Minis.

The Boer was once the commander of an elite South African mercenary group. But now his piles of Krugerrands are just worthless heavy metal. Gold’s not worth much when bullets are in such rare supply. So now he works for anyone who can afford his new price scale. He’s still mercenary, and if you got a job to do he’ll do it, “don’t much care what it is,” as he says. Just remember mercenaries like him can’t be called off half way through a job, and they take payment up front.